We are getting close to an eventful wedding, let's hope nothing surprising happens.

If you like this, then you might like what I will be putting up, soon.

An AU Story where Talisa filled Jeyne's position and remained at Riverrun when Robb and Cat went to the Twins. She surrendered when her husband was murdered to save her child. She gave birth to a son she named Ned Stark and was made a ward of an aging Tywin Lannister. The Story will be named The Last King.

Chapter 19: A Mother's Gratitude

Catelyn

She was smiling, making her sons a totem of the Seven as she used to do when they were but babes, even Arthur and Jon. In fact, she's been spending a lot of time making these lately, hoping that once she's returned home that Bran and Rickon and Ned will all be there, waiting to welcome them home.

"My Lady?" She looked up and smiled, beckoning for Mya to take a seat next to her. She noticed the physical change in Mya, the baby was growing and she hopes that the fighting is done before the babe is brought into the world.

"How is it, causing any trouble?" She asked her ward and wife of Arthur, Mya put a hand on her stomach and smiled widely, rubbing her hand around it.

"Not every day, it is awfully calm for a babe yet unborn, almost nothing like Arthur." She and Mya laughed aloud as soldiers walked about.

Her talks with Mya were a welcomed warmth, especially now when her youngest daughter is making the greatest sacrifice. Marriage is a battle, a fragile one that can lead down a good path, or a bad one such as the one her eldest had made when they took Lord Westerlings home.

Arya has refused to see them, not her and not Robb, the only one she seems to get along with at the moment is Arthur and her brother, the two waste no time in encouraging a decline in the match which Robb and the others constantly fight against. But Arthur has always been a wild child, a Wild Wolf. She thought as she reminisced the man she was supposed to have married.

Marriage is something that should be set in stone, but like stone, it can be cracked and forged into something it shouldn't have been. Brandon, oh, her Wild Wolf was so brash, so stubborn and protective of his family. Much like Arthur in this scenario, fighting for his little sister who seems to look like her late good-sister, Lyanna.

She isn't for this match, she imagined her daughters and sons being wed to good Houses, Northern families that she's grown used to such as House Mormont who has a young girl her Rickon's age. Then there is House Karstark who has a blooming maid, Alys who is Robbs age.

Now she could see only Jeyne Westerling, she can only see Waldren Frey. Her two youngest sons are gone, her eldest daughter suffers in the capital. Married to Tyrion Lannister of all people, I cry for her. She sighed and put down the idle of her faith, looking emptily to the woodland area.

"I never said it, not since Arthur brought Arya back to me... But I am grateful to him." She said and surprised Mya, she supposed that she surprised herself, "He's helped Robb in many decisions, sparing Rickard to keep his House's loyalty is one of them. He protected Arya from Joffrey and was whipped. He saved Ned before they could kill him themselves. Arthur, and Jon, I haven't treated them with kindness, not once for petty fears." She paused, working on the idle once more.

"I know... Arthur is protective, it comes with being a wolf, I guess. He loves you all, even if he's gotten less than that back. He will always be there for Robb, he will always protect his family." She smiled wide from that, thinking that is what Arthur is. He is much like Ned, standing to defend the family or avenge them if he fails.

"You're a good woman for him. I am sure you will both be good parents as well." She told Mya who blushed and rubbed her stomach once more.

"Well, they'll need a grandmother when we aren't there, unless... " She was shocked to be asked such a thing, why her? "My mother and father are dead. Arthur lost his father and mother too. We have no one that comes close to a parent anymore, all except you and, and I'd like you to be the grandmother of our child." The offer came from nowhere, she choked on what to respond with, what answer should she give back? She hesitated before reaching over and gently placing a hand on Mya's belly.

"I will be honored, Mya. I am truly honored." Her response made Mya smile widely, reaching over and embracing her which made them both laugh.

She saw Arya coming toward them, but the moment her youngest daughter saw her, she turned and ran the other way with Nymeria following her. She sighed and leaned back, Mya smiled sadly and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, my Lady, I will go and talk to her." She smiled and nodded but not before saying something as Mya got to her feet.

"Catelyn is fine, we are family, now, and I will be happy to call you daughter." Mya beamed and bowed before following where Arya had run off to.

Arthur

Heavy rain was hampering their path, it was annoying as he didn't want this dragged out more than it should be.

A Stark marrying a Frey? He would never have imagined such a thing, it was unsettling to think of.

"This rain will cost us another day." He heard Brynden speak as he entered the room, Robb, Mya, Arya, and Lady Stark were all there, and Edmure too.

"Let it." He said, more uninterested in this arrangement than he was when it was made, "Walder Frey is getting what he wants, well, half of it." Arya sent him a scowl, he responded with an apologetic look, patting her on the head only for her to swipe it away.

"You don't know him, Arthur, Walder is a prickly man by nature- " Brynden scoffed at what Catelyn said.

"I have met wet shits that are better than Walder Frey, he has been a twat since I knew him. I fought on the Trident, Hoster and I laughed when Walder rode up with his force giving a half-baked excuse." He wished he was there, he can just imagine it as Lord Walder sputtering an excuse on why he is late.

"Still, he will take this as a slight." Lady Stark said to her uncle and turned to him, "And Walder is getting half of what he desires... But it was a King he wanted." She and he turned to Robb who was watching them all, Arya seemed distressed and why wouldn't she be? She is being forced to wed some weasel-faced boy.

Robb told them all to get some rest, that they will move at dawn. He sighed and left with Mya who told him all about her evening with Arya, then the Lady Stark before that and he was surprised. More so about what they talked about, he was overwhelmed with what Lady Stark thinks about him... A son?

He couldn't sleep, and Mya tried to get him to do so. The mind wouldn't let him rest and so, he got re-dressed and went out for a walk, Lady and Dusk followed him.

Their army isn't what it started with, half with Roose, the Freys absent and if Robb had his way then there would be no Karstarks in their ranks. He hopes this and what men they are still able to rally are in the North will be enough to fight back the Ironborn, no, it has to, or else they don't deserve to go home.

"Arthur?" He turned left and saw Dacey walking up to him, Rodrik Forrester too, they both should be asleep or by Robb's side. He stopped heard them out, "Robb wants to see you, just you and the Lady Stark." He nodded and followed the two back to Robbs Pavillion, the moon was shining high and full with no cloud in sight.

Inside was Robb and Catelyn, Grey Wind too. "You wanted to see me, brother?" He inquired and Robb beckoned him forward, urging for him to look at the map.

Five krakens, on Torrhen's Square, Deepwood Motte, Moat Cailin, and on the Stoney Shore. There were three wolves, two flayed men, and the twin towers of Frey. The wedding didn't even take place and the man already has a plan. He noticed a wolf at Seagard, one at the Neck and another in the North, the flayed man was at Harrenhal and another at Winterfell. The Frey symbol with the wolf at Seagard.

"I have a plan, to get back home in the North." Robb started, "Moat Cailin is taken, held by 200 Ironborn as scouts report. We can't pass through that, not all of us." He looked up at Robb, silently urging him to explain, "Half our force will make their way and begin the siege of Moat Cailin, another half with the Frey forces will go to Seagard and uses their fleet to sail to the Stoney Shore." He understands that much.

"I assume I will be going to the Neck?" Robb shook his head no, he was curious, "With you, then?" Robb nodded and walked around over to him.

"I need you at my side, brother, the Ironborn needs to see the Young Wolf and the Dread Wolf coming for them." He smirked with excitement, he likes the thought of that. Theon better be ready for them, justice is coming for him. "Lord Umber and Rickard's cousin, Cregan will lead the siege from the Neck." He heard that, but what about Lord Glover and Lady Mormont? Will they be in their army or the Greatjon's?

"What about Maege and Galbart?" He asked his brother who looked to his mother before turning back to him.

"Dacey will lead her mother's force and you will take command of Lord Glover's soldiers. I sent Maege and Galbart on a mission into the Neck to find Greywater Watch." House Reed? He was more curious, now, he sighed and folded his arms.

"Why?" He asked Robb and Lady Stark would answer for her son.

"They carry a decree from Robb, in the case, that you both die in the battles ahead or if Mya loses her child or Jeyne doesn't conceive a child." He didn't get it, why are they thinking about all of this? He especially hated thinking about Mya or his child coming to harm. "If all of us die, they are to go North, to Jon with the plan to legitimize him and crown him King of the North." He was floored, that Catelyn of all people would consider Jon to be a true Stark, he was already shocked to hear she allowed him to become a true Stark.

"Arya is going to marry into House Frey. Sansa is the wife of the Imp. I can't let either House have the North, it belongs to a King of House Stark, not Lannister or Frey." He reluctantly nodded to what Robb was trying to say, and a Frey ruling Winterfell? Even if it would be Arya's he would sooner die than let that happen.

"... Lady Stark, are you sure about this? I know my brother and I haven't seen eye-to-eye with you since we came to Winterfell, but are you... " Catelyn held her hands together, tightly and looked away from him. Eventually, however, she turned back to him and nodded with a small smile.

"You and Jon are Ned's sons. I wished I had kept this promise when Jon fell ill with the pox, I wished I had told Ned to ask Robert to make you who you two were already are... Starks of Winterfell, and no matter who yours and Jon's mother was, I will forever be grateful to have you two as my sons." He was overwhelmed with emotions, too many to stop the few tears that broke out from within.

All he and Jon wanted was a mothers love, someone to tell them that it will be alright and that they will always be protected. He thought that maybe then Jon wouldn't have joined the Watch and he wouldn't have been such a belligerent child growing up.

Nearing the end of the night, all three were in agreement, should both they and their wives leave this world, Jon Snow will be made into Jon Stark and a King of Winter.

A day passes before they came over the brush and saw before them the Twin Towers of Frey, he growled internally as he pushed his horse forward with his direwolf following him.

It's time to get this wedding over with.

AN: So ends Chapter 19, Chapter 20 is next and titled The Red Dawn. Be ready for some tears and keep those tissues handy, just a fair warning.